FBI Fears RNC Disturbance by Anarchists With Acid Eggs

The FBI is worried about anarchist protesters disrupting Tampa during the Republican National Convention, which may be a valid concern if St. Paul in 2008 is any guide, but the warnings sound borderline ridiculous.

It also says that, as of March, the FBI had intelligence indicating individuals from New York "planned to travel to Tampa and attempt to close" all of the Tampa Bay-area bridges during the Republican National Convention next week.

Then there's the collection of bricks and pipes police confiscated from a building roof near the convention site, as noted by Tampa's local Fox affiliate. That sounds like the kind of stuff that would be on any old building roof, but it's rendered insidious because of a spray-painted Guy Fawkes image found nearby. Police said "the business owner called us," so maybe that means someone familiar with the site noticed the pile of materials was out of place?

Anyway, the FBI bulletin says the majority of the protesters are expected to keep it peaceful and play by the rules, CNN reports, so if there really is a contingent planning to toss acid-filled eggs, bricks, and pipes, at least there won't be too many of them.

Everyone has someone on their holiday shopping list who’s impossible to buy for. For the second year in a row, we asked Atlantic readers to describe their someone, and brainstormed a few perfect gift ideas for them.